Christmas with The Lightwoods
by HeartBeatFailure-x
Summary: Magnus POV: He winds his hands around my arm and pulls me into their home. It's warm, cosy and it smells like tinsel. I lean against the doorframe and observe. No'one else has come to greet me and they all seem perfectly happy doing what they are doing; needless to say I feel slightly outcast and my thoughts start to stray.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I've sort of merged human-life with the Otherworldly. Apparently, Alec and the Lightwoods have a big family and Magnus is a warlock like normal- open minds, please!**

**Magnus' POV.**

It's bothered me a few times in my many centuries of living. Sometimes it creeps up on me and surprises me, where I'm suddenly aware that my chest is aching and longing for something familiar. Sometimes, it's stood like a glorified pillar blocking everything else from my thoughts, covered in glitters and sparkles so I can't miss it. It's so blatant it takes over everything for days, and it takes me just as long to suppress it and move _on _already.

Other times, it's a dull nagging feeling in the back of my head that comes and goes as it pleases over the space of, usually, a few hours for a few days, once every decade. It's sporadic, sneaking up on me when I least expect it. A walk in the park, shopping in the centre's, walking down the street, looking, even _glancing _at someone – it doesn't even have to be a family unit anymore.

The gut-wrenching, mind-pulling, bone-splitting problem is that I can never tell its happening until it does. Being a high warlock, you think I'd be severely in tuned with my feelings and emotions, I've had centuries to get used to them after all. However, this is something that I've never had the pleasure of controlling, much less taming or even befriending. The raw feelings of being lost, being alone and isolated, being different, separated, rootless with no familial ties to anything. Just to _exist. _If I think about it long enough, then past memories scream into the back of my mind like a whirlpool that wont stop. People I've cared for, people I've lost, people that I've helped, ignored, watched, followed, protected, hurt—So many faces, so many faded faces and distant names and scents that eventually, it's far too easy to forget. And when you do, you feel guilty.

But it's Christmas day. And I wake up as usual, unsuspecting of anything. Chairman Meow leaps onto my bed to greet me, his head snuggling into my hand hovering by my side for him. And it hits me like a brick. He has me to care for him, we rely on eachother, even if he does disappear every now and then; we both need space and it's probably a good thing. But today, I tell myself that whenever Chairman disappears, it's because he's gone to find his family. That he knows they're around somewhere and he's gone to find them, so he knows where he belongs. Because that's what you need on Christmas day, a sense of family and belonging. Two things of which I've never properly cared for. I had Chairman, my magic and everything else I could need. Including Alexander. He has his own sense of family, the Lightwoods, and his own sense of belonging now they know about us. He's complete, I guess you could say. My parents have been dead for a long time now, and it doesn't bother me at all on normal days. Today, however, I find myself thinking what it would be like if we were all together, to have Christmas around that small round wooden dining table again with paper chains hanging as decorations. I push the thoughts away, knowing today will be one of those on-off days of stupid thinking. I put on the clothes I chose last night and ask Chairman if he'll be accompanying me to the Lightwoods, as I've been invited to theirs for Christmas dinner. _They are my family now. _But it doesn't feel right. They can't fill the emptiness that's been getting deeper and deeper since my parents … _left. _No'one has managed to bridge the gap, to fill the hole, or even manage to cover it up and ignore it. It wont go away, and as much as thinking the Lightwoods are my family now, they won't ever truly be. They _can't _be. Chairman sticks close to my ankles, signaling he's ready to leave. He's expecting a portal. I take the door keys, wait for him to reluctantly follow, and we walk.

Alexander is less than impressed that I'm _late _of all things.

"You have a portal!" He exasperated. "Being late should never happen! Come on" He winds his hands around my arm and pulls me into their home. It's warm, cosy and it smells like tinsel. There's music playing at the perfect volume and it's coming from every room. Chairman instantly heads for the kitchen, closely followed by Church. Alec tugs me into the living room, where it's crowded with people. I recognize the usual people, cast wary glares at the unfamiliar ones, but I'm instantly soothed when Alec begins telling me that they're his relatives. There's the old couples around, a few younger children who are easily entertained by the kitties in the kitchen, the older adults by the roaring fire who are looking relaxed in their fancy outfits. Then there's the usual young suspects, who are laughing and joking about whatever in the far corner where the sofas are. Izzy and Clary are hugging, Izzy's hair pulled into a messy bun with curly ends. Her low-backed floor-length Christmas green dress makes her look like an emerald. Clary has her hair down, waving down the back of her modest-length black dress. They greet each other as sisters I'm deaf to Alec's introductions, and slightly startled when he leaves me to help with the preparations. I lean against the doorframe and observe. No'one else has come to greet me and they all seem perfectly happy doing what they are doing; needless to say I feel slightly outcast and my thoughts start to stray.

One of the young children, a girl, about five or six, has picked up a Christmas cracker from the table. She's raced over to, presumably, her father and asking him to break it with her. He's surrounded by his friends, I see Mr Lightwood, and they're all dressed smartly in shirts and ties. The presumed-father tells her they're for later and she puts it back, but she runs back to him with a grin and he scoops her up with a laugh. Something tugs at my chest; I look elsewhere. Alec is helping Max to put the decorations on the Christmas cake. Back in the living room, Jace is holding Clary's hand discretely behind her back whilst they talk with some of the older adults; he then leans to kiss her head and she chuckles. The older couple by the fire find it sweet and offer them a raised glass. I notice their hands are clasped just as lovingly as Jace and Clary's are. I shift my position on the doorframe as people walk around. I catch a glimpse of one of the grandparents shuffling around, on each of his toes are the smaller feet of a young girl, he's holding her hands carefully like she's a treasure; they're dancing together, both laughing. _Air. _My head spins ever so slightly as I push off from the doorframe and head outside into the back garden. As I do, I pass Mayrse and Robert – who has now moved into the kitchen where his wife is double checking the fridge. He sneaks up behind her, his hands sliding onto her small waist and then around her stomach as he kisses her exposed neck with a smile.

I glance back at the living room; Alec's in there with the others and they look like they've begun a game of charades. I open the back door, the thought of leaving occurring to me. Chairman is instantly at my feet, as if reading my thoughts. I scoop him up and close the back door behind me Their garden is immaculate and well kept. Alec once told me that Max quite liked gardening, once he got into it. I found it a funny thought, but now, I thought he was brave. I can't keep a fake plant looking alive, never mind a real one. Chairman settles in my arms as I sit on the bench near the small pond.

"Did you see them?" I murmur, stroking his head softly. "It was a bad idea to come, wasn't it?"

"Mow" His head brushes my chin.

"That girl listened to her father without so much of a shout" I sigh. "Just obeyed, cause he just told her. My father never just _told _me to do things. Always shouting, always yelling"

"Meow" Chairman nudged his way back into a curled form on my lap.

"Never laughed" I recall. "Not unless …" _Not unless it was something sick and horrific or ironic. _I don't want to scare Chairman away. "I used to pretend I had siblings" I chuckle. "An older brother somewhere, or a younger sister to protect" I grin as I remember this. Friends weren't easy to make, and the ones I did have were always cautious. Siblings I knew were nonexistent, which is why I found it intriguing looking at the bonds between any siblings I came across. How they always said they hated each other, or they'd love to be an only child. It was ridiculous how much I wanted to yell at them for being stupid and not being appreciative enough. They had no idea how much I longed for a sibling to share things with, to do things with. And grandparents? I never knew mine. Never knew the little trips to see the old people who'd give you sweets if you were good, or even money if it was an occasion. No granny to spoil you rotten with baked goods, or no grandpa to dance with you on his toes. As for parents; I'd never seen my parents as openly affectionate as Mr and Mrs Lightwood, at least not as they are at Christmas. I pluck Chairman off my knees and scoop him up comfortably. I find the Lightwood's shed and close the door behind me, making a portal back to my apartment.

"You're leaving?" The door creaks open behind me and a small head pokes in.

"Max?" I say, surprised. Chairman jumps from my arms and heads for the kid. "Traitor" I whisper.

"You can't leave" Max opens the door further and puts a foot inside. "There's cake and presents yet" I raise my eyebrows. Max is allowed to be innocent like this, he's still a child. "And…I know Alec will miss you" He adds. "You're not as sparkly" He observes.

"I thought I'd make an effort not to scare off your family" I sigh and the portal closes behind me. The shed darkens, but Max seems happy enough.

"Oh…" Max frowns. "Well, you can go home and get all glittery and come back" He suggests. "If it'll make you feel better"

"Thanks Max, but I don't think it's the lack of glitter that's getting me down today" He groans, frustrated, and kicks the doorframe lightly.

"Then come back inside and stop being a nincompoop" He grumbles. "Besides, I have a present…for you" This caught my interest.

"A present?" He nods. "For me?!" I can't hold back my surprise or my curiosity. "…but I have to go back in there?" I indicate towards the main house and he nods.

"They're not all that bad. The old folks are a little slow and you may have to repeat things – but…"

"You don't have to justify your family to me, Max" I kneel down to his level and place my hand on his shoulder. "You should love them for being them. They aren't my family"

"Alec wants them to be" Max says in a rush, fiddling with his fingers. "He tried really hard to get everyone here, he even explained to them all that you were slightly more than …normal…" He glances at me to see if he's offended me. Deciding he hasn't, he continues. "He told them all to act normal…not to do or say anything weird" He glances back at the house across the garden. "And they haven't – right?"

"They haven't really said anything" I shake my head at him and sigh.

"Will you stay? For Alec?" I stand up and flex my legs a little.

"I guess…I should"

"I'll get your present then! Meet me in the living room!" He rushes off with a grin, Chairman chasing after him. I close the door to the shed and lock it, walking back across the lawn. Then, I get the tingly feeling on the back of my neck, which only really happens when-

"Did you really think you could just leave?" _Alexander. _

"…you seemed content" I compromise, allowing him to sneak up behind me and wind his hands around my shoulders. It feels weird; not many people get to that height on me, at least not for it to be comfortable.

"I wouldn't have been if we'd started eating dinner, and you weren't sat next to me" His chin snuggles into my neck. "In fact, I'd have been rather annoyed and would have felt like you'd stood me up" I open my mouth to retaliate, but he continues. "Not only that, but it would've been very embarrassing considering how I'd explained to my whole family that they'd finally get to meet this 'Magnus' I've been raving about since forever – only for you not to be there"

"…you rave about me?"

"Thatsbesidethepoint" Alec gushes. "Maybe I shouldn't have left you alone"

"It's not you" I spin to face him and his arms loosen around my neck.

"Is it the age thing again? Cause I already explained that to-"

"More like a time thing" I interrupt, a finger on his lips. "And a people and family thing" I frown as his lips move to cover my finger. He bites playfully and I yank it back.

"Mag" He whispers, his face pale but lovely in the moonlight. It's cold, so his breath comes as smokey whisps on the air.

"Its selfish" I tell him. "Im selfish" I clarify but he still looks confused. "You have a family, a wonderful family that's special. Something to treasure. And I know you and your siblings have your arguments, you don't see it like I do" He offers me a smile. "I probably sound like a grumpy old man, and I apologise for that, but you should treasure them" I indicate to the whole living room and he follows my finger.

"You've not had a proper family in centuries" Alec murmurs softly. "…Painful?" He guesses.

"Only when I think about it"

"I guess bringing you here like this wasn't helping then" His head falls, discouraged.

"It's not all bad. I could have a conversation with your grandparents about world war two. I could talk to you lot about recent happenings and lord knows I'll stay away from the little kiddies, so you don't need to worry about me scarring them for life" Alec laughs quietly. "I love you" It takes seconds to realize we both said it at exactly the same time, at which we both grin at.

"We're getting good at that" Alec's fingers twine with mine. They're warm. "Living room?" He tugs me from the garden and back into the living room, where Max spies us and comes over to me with a surprisingly large box. More tall than wide, like an upright rectangle. I frown.

"This is for me?" I question. "It looks mighty suspicious" I bend at the waist and offer Max a humorous bow as I take the box from him. "Are you _sure?_" I ask again. He nods eagerly.

"I made it…" He trails off, glaring at the box, trying to see through it. "I hope you'll like it"

"You don't mind your brother giving me presents?" I ask Alec, who's grinning.

"I'll give you one later" Alec kisses my cheek. "Open it"

"You know what it is" I state and he nods. I open the top of it and put my hand inside. There's glittery tissue paper for padding, but I instantly feel the rim of what I know to be a top hat. I pull it out carefully and Max's eyes light up. It's a black top hat, much like the Victorian period, only it's got a gold sparkly thick ribbon around the spherical parts and it's decorated beautifully with Christmas ornaments. Of course, primarily it's glittered and brightly coloured.

"We all sort of helped" Max confesses. "Jace found the hat, Izzy helped to buy the materials, Alec said which ones you'd like or not like and I put it together" He says proudly. "Is there too much glitter? I thought there might be too much glitter…" I chuckle loudly at this and pat the kid on the head.

"You can never have too much glitter" I place the hat on my head and it fits perfectly; it even works with my outfit. The added glitter suddenly brightens my mood and I feel more like me. "Thanks Max" I smile genuinely at him and he seems impressed.

"And the other one!" Max rolls onto his tip toes and peers into the box. Confused, I put my hand inside it and feel the sharp corner of something hard. I pull it out; it's a frame. Inside it are many pictures of all the Lightwoods and myself, on separate occasions, but each one of myself with at least one member of the Lightwood family. Even Robert!

"We're not trying to replace your family or anything" Max defends himself, biting his lip. "Unless you want us to, in which case, I guess we could be-"

"Max…" Alec says softly. The kid understands the hint and moves to leave, but quickly hugs my waist before he does. He catches me off guard and I'm stunned into place. He releases me and runs off, leaving me with Alec, who's smiling at me curiously. "Is it ok?" He asks lightly. I have no words for him, so I do what I feel I have to. I lean over and kiss him, right on the lips, hoping that it'll be enough to say everything that I can't.


	2. Chapter 2

**ALEC.**

The family members had already left after finishing their voluntary tasks. Some had helped bring all the used dishes into the kitchen, while others had made them into resourceful piles for somebody else to wash. Once the living room and dining rooms were cleared, the ones with the younger children began to filter away. The games that had been used were placed back where they belonged, and then someone helpfully cleaned all the surfaces. The older relatives began to leave soon after.

When everybody had wished us all well and returned to their own homes, I – as the eldest – was charged with the task of washing up the dishes whilst mother and father relaxed in the living room, relieved of their successful evening. I had heavily underestimated the amount of cooking a woman could do – and the mess she could make in the kitchen. Though I'd never tell my mother this directly, or my grandmother, who seemed adamant that the more mess made produced better results. Magnus appeared to my right, on the other side of a spare counter, hands resting lightly on its surface. He still wore his hat, a grin on his face.

"How very unlike you" He motioned to the dishes with a flick of his finger, his head tipping a little. "Very domestic"

"Don't be mean" I scolded him, plunging my hands into the dishwater and scrubbing another pan. "Shadowhunter or not – I'm capable of doing chores"

"And for more with those brilliant hands, I suppose" I paused, giving him a warning with a simple raise of my eyebrow. "Oh don't look at me like that" He waved his right hand and looked outside into the garden, the doors still open.

"You said you'd behave" I murmured, unable to keep the grin from my face.

"I don't remember specifically saying that" Magnus said quietly. "Something about best behaviour-" Max raced into the kitchen, grinning, Jace hot on his heels. Then ran through the kitchen and into the garden, laughing. Magnus was smiling. "How long will this take?" He asked quietly, impatience on his face. I glanced at the pile I'd yet to do, and the pile that Izzy was supposed to be drying – but of course she was somewhere with Simon.

"A bit longer" I admitted. He shrugged, looking thoughtful. "Why?"

"Why _else _would I want you to finish?" He rolled his eyes at me and I detected a hint of annoyance.

"You're getting tired" I almost laughed. "Did today wear you out?" I glanced at him; he didn't look any different.

"It was ... good"

"Good?" I spluttered, almost dropping the wet pan as I placed it on the draining board.

"Hm" He murmured, but his eyes were lost elsewhere – somewhere outside, or in another world for all I knew. It seemed odd that he thought today had been _good _when he'd happily engaged with my relatives with ease. He seemed awe-struck with his present and I was sure he loved the desserts we'd dished up. It had been far more than just _good _to have Magnus here. I placed the cutting board on the draining board, aiming to prop it up next to the pan – but it wasn't there. I was momentarily alarmed to find it mid-air, being dried to a sparkle with the equally air-borne pan.

I spun to Magnus, almost accusingly. He'd moved, distracting himself with the bookshelf by the back door, fingers tracing the old texts there. I turned back, eyeing the pan, watching as it joined the others in an ordered pile on a spare counter. The drying towel came back and the board I'd put down rose to meet it. I hurried with the cleaning, the pile dissipating a lot quicker now I had more space. Magnus didn't acknowledge he was doing it, and I didn't say anything to him in case it stopped. It was easy to get into a rhythm and it _was _helping. Though, I supposed I was taking advantage of it.

"You have Rilke" Magnus noted.

"What?" I asked, finishing the final pan and leaving it on the draining board. It stayed there for a second until it was up in the air with the towel, and then placed on the counter next to the pile that had accumulated. I moved over to them.

"Rilke" Magnus murmured, turning to me. "Poet. Doesn't matter" I shrugged noncommittally and he eyed me carefully before walking around the counter. He picked up the pile of plates and I indicated to their cupboard. He swished a finger and it opened.

"Are you ok?" I asked, putting the pans away with a clatter. He closed the plate's cupboard and looked at me thoughtfully. "What?" I asked, unable to keep my composure when he was looking at me like that.

"Are we staying here tonight?" He asked.

"I..." I hadn't thought about it. I'd been living with Magnus long enough to think of there as home; it felt natural to go back to his apartment. But it also felt just as natural to stay with my family. I'd assumed we'd go back. I hadn't counted on the nostalgia pulling me back to my bedroom upstairs. "I don't know" I admitted. My mother chose that moment to come and refill her wine glass, breezing into the kitchen with a smile.

"Dishes are done" I told her and she nodded, swaying a little. _Tipsy? _Mother!

"Are you and Magnus staying?" I raised my eyebrows, watching carefully as she pulled out the wine bottle and set it onto the counter next to her empty glass. "Your room's made up, if you want it" She told me. "But none of _that _stuff" I went red and turned away. "Don't think this has anything to do with you being ..._you" _She gestured to me with the wine bottle before putting it back in the fridge. "I told Jace and Clary the same thing, and Isabel and Simon too" She sipped the red liquid.

"Magnus?" I looked over, hoping for an expression I could use. A defiant one, he'd want to go home. A happy one, he'd want to stay. A curious one, he might find it interesting. But nothing. He was blank. I turned back to my mother, her eyebrows raised expectantly, a small smile on her lips. "We'll let you know" She raised her glass just a little and went back into the living room, but as soon as she'd left the kitchen, I stalked over to Magnus and gripped his hands. "What's wrong?" I demanded. "Do I need to go and fetch Chairman?" That got a smile, but it faded quickly. "Are you sick? Did you eat those cookies – cause Izzy made those" I checked his head but he batted me away. "You can still talk, right?" He smirked, but said nothing. So I boldly leant in and kissed him right on the lips, my mouth working against his, tongue pushing in until he moaned. I pulled back. "Well your vocal cords still work" I grinned. I touched his top hat, all gold and black and glitter, and his eyes followed my movements, calculating. "Ok, seriously. You have to tell me what you're thinking because I can't read you _at all" _

"It's almost midnight" He whispered. "Christmas is almost over"

"Until next year" I nodded. "And we do the same thing _again" _I smiled and his lips twitched in response.

"But _today _is almost over" I nodded blankly and he looked stubborn, even more so when he folded his arms over his chest. "I do believe that gives you..." He checked his watch. "...Ten minutes to qualify your supposed, though apparently nonexistent, Christmas present as an _actual _Christmas present. Any later, and it'll be tomorrow, making it a boxing day present, and those are just _late" _

"Your present!" I gaped, eyes wide. I stepped back. "I haven't given-" _I'd completely forgotten. _And he looked so _childlike! _"I. Am. _So. _Sorry!" My eyes darted everywhere. "This was _not _how this was supposed to happen" I was burning with embarrassment; the cool air from the still-open back doors wasn't doing anything. I strode over to them, hands tugging at my hair. "Ok, rationalise thoughts" I told myself. I heard a tap and turned back to Magnus, who'd placed his hat on the counter looking every bit like a child awaiting a present he wasn't sure he was going to get.

"There is a present" I assured him, nodding. "There is"

"I have a lifetime, Alec" He said quietly. "But there's only ten minutes of Christmas left" I bit my lip. "Though...a lot can get done in ten minutes" He added thoughtfully.

"Hey, none of that, you heard my mother" I shook my head and he grinned.

"Unless we leave?" He hinted, undoing the top few buttons of his shirt casually. Though, my mind automatically wanted to shut him in the bedroom. "But I think you want to st-"

"Bedroom" I declared, grabbing his wrist and hauling him up the stairs and into my bedroom. He didn't say anything at first, looking over my desk and my shelves before eventually sitting on my bed. Meanwhile, I was frantically trying to remember where I had left his present. It wasn't at the apartment, I knew he'd find it if I left it there. It was somewhere in my room because it was the last place I intended to bring him – as I initially thought we'd be going back home. My plan to give it him earlier in the evening had been aborted after Max had topped the 'best present to Magnus' award. "Got it!" My hands touched the bag, nestled between my wardrobe and the desk. I joined Magnus – now cross legged and patient – on my bed, putting the bag between us.

"Ok" I began, hand plunging into the bag, mouth opening to explain – when Magnus's hand gripped my arm.

"Me first" He said.

"We have less than ten minutes! And unless you have the power to stop time" I eyed him suspiciously but he shook his head. "Ok, fine! Go" He put his other hand into his jacket pocket which held an envelope, sealed with wax and a stamp I didn't recognise. It hadn't been broken.

"This was given to me by someone dear to me. Someone who's opinion I valued over all others, whose words I rarely ever doubted. He gave me this, telling me something that I didn't believe, or care for at the time. He said;_ 'When your storms are whispers, your tempests are ripples and your heart slows with them, the earth will halt at your feet and your future will appear." _He pulled a face. "I associated it with death" He passed me the envelope. "I was wrong" My finger traced the red, bulky seal on the back. "Open it" He encouraged. "The storms are my mind. The tempests, my soul. Life is one thing after another, therefore the heart slowing, the calm... it was death" He smiled a little, watching me pick at the seal. "But it wasn't. I think it's you" I paused and he took the letter back, opening it and handing it back. "When I realised I loved you, the earth really did seem to halt at my feet. And I saw you, as my future, as my life. I had been arrogant, easily led by the allure of immortality, why on earth would I ever think about the prospect of death? An end? – but then you appeared, and I couldn't imagine it any other way. You will be my end, Alexander"

"This is sounding very suspicious and worrying" I tugged at the paper inside the envelope, unfolding it carefully. The paper felt old, the writing _looked _old. But I could read it. Magnus peered over at me nervously. "It's..." It dawned on me. It was a spell. The page number at the bottom was evidence of it being torn from a book – its jagged left side confirming it – but it had no title. I handed it to him and he read it over, a small smile appearing. "It'll make you mortal?" He nodded, surely, and handed it back to me. "Why am _I _getting this?" My eyes widened. "You've had it all this time"

"It feels right that you own it" He said quietly. "Like you're holding my life in your hands. There's something so utterly vulnerable and human about that" I set the piece of paper aside, worried that even reading it would do damage. "My cards are laid" He leant forwards, capturing my chin in his fingers. "Deal them as you wish, love" He kissed me carefully, but I didn't miss the shake his hand gave.

"I don't know, I like your magic. Comes in handy when drying up the dishes" I murmured, and he pulled back, unimpressed. "Moment ruined" I decided, plunging my hand into the bag and pulling out the first one. He unwrapped it, finding a generous sum of money for a ridiculously priced shop that I know he very much loved. He beamed.

"Is this permission to dress you up?" He managed to twist it, again. I rolled my eyes and nudged him, drawing my legs up.

"No! It's enough for you to get another outfit and more"

"_More' _being something for you" He grinned.

"Magnus!" I protested.

"Alec it's _my _gift. I'll do with it as I please, thank you very much" He leaned over and kissed my cheek for good measure, so I pulled out another one of his wrapped gifts. "More than one?"

"You're very hard to shop for" I murmured. "Not one thing seemed enough" His eyes sparkled as he accepted the box-like-Christmas-wrapped present. The paper was gone in seconds.

"Snow-globe?" He looked closer. "Is that _us?" _He was millimetres away from the thing, eyes almost pressed to it as he looked inside. "It's us!" He exclaimed. "How did we get in there – Chairman too?!" He pointed, but I already knew. He flipped it upside down, I thought to shake it up, but he observed the branding on the bottom with scrutiny. "Custom made" He flipped it back, watching the blue snowflakes fall down. "It's perfect" I'd taken the opportunity of his excitement to produce another gift for him from the bag, this one a little bigger, and a bit more rectangular. His eyes showed me his unease.

"I can spoil you" I told him. "Isn't that what couples do?" He accepted the next gift and began taking off the paper, fingers dusting over the closed box. It was navy blue, a gold trim surrounding it. He popped it open, revealing a set of hand cuffs and a tie pin. "That was an impulse buy" I admitted, watching his eyes grow. _Did he like them? _"They looked like they'd look good on you"

"They're _perfect! _Look at the detail, did you see the detail?" He twisted one in my direction and I nodded, even though I'd only noted it as a Patten, not much of a _detail. _But Magnus liked these things and his face was more than enough. He looked down apologetically for his lack of a tie, but he did take out the cuff links and put them on expertly. As he was distracted, I took out the final two of his presents, hoping that I'd get them the right way around. They were different in size, but still quite box-like. And I'd wrapped them in the same wrapping paper, so I could only hope that I'd remembered which one to give him last. I took the slightly smaller box and placed it in my lap, extending the other one to Magnus.

"This is feeling more like bribery" He admitted, gingerly taking the next gift.

"I told you" I grinned. "You're a very hard person to buy things for"

"I have no problem buying things for myself, it's easy!" He quipped.

"Yes, but you know _exactly _what you want. It's a yes or no decision"

"You're doing well so far" He encouraged, his nails scraping against the tape as he unwrapped it carefully. A red box with silver linings. His eyebrows rose as he opened it, his face lighting up. He settled the box on his knee and took out the pair of black leather gloves. "There are a _million _things this could mean, you realise" His eyes twinkled and I caught his meaning. My face burnt.

"It's winter! January will be cold" I explained quickly. He didn't seem persuaded. He put the gloves on his spare knee and pulled out the next pair from underneath. The red ones.

"So why do I have _two _pairs?" He questioned. "Not that I'm not grateful" He quickly amended. But it was a fair point. He rarely lost things, and he deemed them outdated before they became simply over used and worn.

"One for a different outfit?" He shook his head at my pathetic reasoning. "I couldn't decide" I admitted. "I liked the red; it'd go well with your black winter coat. But you wear black a lot and black's a safe bet because it goes with everything. So I got the black too" I paused. "And _then _there are the colour connotations – black for hunting, red for calling enchantment down..."

"I see _something _of my wardrobe is rubbing off on you..." He slipped on the left black glove and the right red one, flexing his fingers to test them. He held his hands out, palms facing me. "How do they feel?" I grinned, slipping my hands into his, fingers slotted in-between.

"Like leather?" He shook his head and laughed, removing his hands and fingers from mine and peering in my lap at his last gift. "Ah...This, I will warn you, was Izzy's idea"

"Izzy?!" He'd plucked it from in between my legs before I could hold it back in thought, probably knowing that any gift idea that belonged to Izzy would no doubt be a playful one. My face burnt up and I curled myself into a ball, my chin resting on my knees as he opened the gift with chuckles. "Ah" He flipped the box, inspecting its colours and then opening it to inspect its contents. _Condoms. _I wonder if Simon knows what he's getting into? "Flavoured" Magnus murmured, putting them aside and crawling over the bed towards me. I tried not to shimmy back, but he was prowling closer like a cat and eventually I had to shift. He licked his lips suggestively and I held my hand up, hoping he'd remember what my mother had said. He pulled back, showing me that he did.

"If I remember correctly" He whispered, his fingers tugging at my legs until they were flat; he crawled over them and sat on my thighs, his fingers now at my hip bones. "There _is _a soundless rune"

"We can't!" I shook my head. "Not for _this" _Magnus looked disappointed, but his hands reached for the rim of my jeans regardless. I bit my lip.

"Then can we portal home?" I shook my head. "Home" He demanded, his face getting closer and closer to mine until he tempted me with a simple kiss to my lips. "We can come back when we're done; they'll never know" He whispered, his hair tickling my nose.

"If you can get me out of here before I change my mind in five seconds then I'm game" Magnus gripped my waist with ease and whirled me to the plain wall opposite the bed. While I was still gaining my footing, he was creating a portal, shimmering it into life as I quickly registered to take off my socks. Horrible things to fidget off in bed. Magnus, on the other hand, had already quickly stripped off his jacket, then his shirt – taking swift care to put the cufflinks on the desk – before grabbing my waist again. Having only managed to get off my socks, he was awfully tempting shirtless. He grinned and pulled me in for another sweet kiss. As usual, my eyes flickered shut – and when I opened them, I was pressed against the edge of the bed in our apartment, the portal dimming behind Magnus.

"We forgot the condoms" I breathed, seeing as that was what had started this in the first place. Magnus shrugged and poked me backwards onto the bed, crawling onto my lap again.

He ducked me down for another kiss in which he skilfully managed to remove my shirt. I caught the clock out of the corner or my eye, noting sadly that Christmas day had been and gone, and we were already fifteen minutes into Boxing Day. Magnus noticed my distraction, using his fingers to steer my chin back to face him.

"We have nothing _but_ time" He whispered. "And time can stand still when I'm with you" He smiled, his eyes endlessly promising eternity, despite only having a lifetime.

**Hey! I wanted to quickly thank you all for your positive feedback and I hope I did you proud with this chapter! :) **


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